Chandigarh, February 11
Over 53 per cent farmer households in rural Haryana are under debt, having an average outstanding loan of Rs 26,007.

This has been revealed in the National Social Survey Organisation survey (59th round), on the indebtedness among farmers. The survey, which reveals the extent of rural indebtedness in rural India, shows that indebtedness in Haryana is much higher than the national average of 48.6 per cent indebted rural households, with an average outstanding loan of Rs 12,585.

The survey report, released by the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD), along with the State Focus Paper for Haryana (2007-08), also reveals that though 68 per cent of the farmer households approach institutional sources for their credit needs, 26 per cent of farmers still approach rural money lenders. While only 65 per cent of the loan amount is spent on productive activities, like agriculture and non-farm activities, the rest of the debt amount is spent as consumption expenditure, conspicuous consumptions like marriages and other social ceremonies.

Comparatively, at an all-India level, 58 per cent of farmer households approach institutional sources for their credit needs and 69 per cent of the loan amount is spent on agriculture and productive non-farm activities.

Concerned at the extent of indebtedness, the state government with the support of NABARD is working on increasing the credit flow, outreach of credit, risk mitigating factors, cooperative reforms ad institution of special funds. The Chief Secretary, Haryana, Mr Prem Prashant, while talking about the rural indebtedness says that the situation is not that alarming as majority of farmers in the state have availed short-term loans. “There has been no substantial increase in the long-term loans taken by farmers. Moreover, we are now urging the banks to come out with easy exit policy for loanee farmers; working towards value addition in agriculture and coming out with a concept on industry integrated with agriculture,” he added.

Fatehabad, February 11
Mr Kuldip Bishnoi, Congress MP from Bhiwani parliamentary constituency last evening ridiculed February 25 ‘Navyug Rally’ of the Bhupinder Singh Hooda government. He said the government had done nothing worthwhile to rejoice at.

The government is organising a rally at Sirsa to celebrate its two years in office. Mr Bishnoi alleged due to bad governance Haryana had become number one state in corruption, the worst in law and order and the poorest in terms of performance on power and irrigation water front.

He said people of Haryana had no interest in the Sirsa rally. He alleged the government was using official machinery for its success.

Asked if he would attend the rally, if invited, Mr Bishnoi replied in the negative and added none of his supporters would go to the rally.

Mr Bishnoi said all those leaders from Haryana campaigning in Punjab elections, irrespective of the party, which they belonged, owed an explanation to their people.

Criticising Mr Hooda, the Congress MP said the Chief Minister had told reporters during campaigning in Punjab the SYL canal matter was not a issue between the leaders of the two states and they would solve it with mutual understanding.

This, he said, showed the Chief Minister was not interested in an issue, which was the lifeline for farmers of Haryana.

On Punjab elections, Mr Bishnoi said he had not been to that state but what he had learnt from his acquaintances; the party was not faring well there. He repeated to organise a rally at Rohtak and date would be announced after the elections. Tentatively would be organised in May or June this year.

To the statement of Mr Ram Parkash, working president of the state Congress, wherein he had termed Mr Bishnoi as a child, the Congress MP said the former was not in a position to win the election of a Sarpanch so he had no right to comment on him. 

Fatehabad, February 11
Lightning struck at Lamba Dhani village near Rattia town in this district today morning killing four children and injuring one.

All victims were sleeping in a room when the lightning struck. Three of the deceased Miththoo (8), Sunita (12) and Paramjit (14) are children of Brij Lal a farm hand.

Amarjit (17), another son of Brij Lal was injured seriously. The forth victim Bahadur (13) was a son of farmer Chanan Singh.

The children had slept in a room meant for storing fodder after watching a movie on television.

It was raining with in the night. According to a report, when lightning struck at 4.45 a.m. today, ceiling of the room caved in.

The children were buried under debris. Their parents removed the debris but four children were dead.

Deputy Commissioner, O.P. Sheoran, SP Saurabh Singh and SDM Rattia Yogesh Mehta visited the village and assured help from the administration.

Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda has announced a relief of Rs 1 lakh each to the families of four children killed by lightning at Lamba Dhani village today.

Mr O.P. Sheoran, Deputy Commissioner said besides this the district administration would provide relief to the victims’ families under the Natural Calamities Fund. The administration, he said, would bear medical expenses of youth Amarjit injured in the incident.

Panipat, February 11
The hailstones damaged crops in thousands of acres in 10 villages of Matlauda block here today. The district administration has asked the Naib Tehsildar to visit the affected villages and submit a report.

Crops of wheat, mustard, peas, tomato and barseem (fodder) in villages including Rair Kalan, Dharam Garh, Shera, Kavi,Ahmedpur Majra, Joshi, Nara, Urlana Kalan and Urlana Khurd were hit by 
hailstones.

According to information hailstones started raining in the region around 8 in the morning and lasted for more than 30 minutes resulting in severe damage to rabi crops. In a few villages the wheat crop was damagesd up to 60 per cent, informed Mr Manjit Singh Nain, Deputy Director, Agriculture, Panipat.

Kaithal, February 11
Mr Navdeep SinghVirk, SSP, two DSPs and 24 cops of various ranks were honoured at a function organised by trade and social organisations here today.

The function in which more than 24 organisations were represented was held in RKSD college hall here to honour police officials for getting arrested criminals, by South African police recently.

They were wanted by the police here for murder, kidnapping and extortion cases. Baljeet Badsikri, Joginder Geong and Krishan Pehalwan who carried reward belonged to the Surinder Grenog Gang had shot dead plywood dealer here in March last when he refused to pay Rs 50 lakh extortion.

When the police raided their hideouts in other parts of the country to arrest them they fled to South Africa in June this year and continued threatening businessmen of Kaithal, Kurukshetra and Karnal districts for ransom. Mr Amarjeet Singh Virk father of the district police chief, his wife also an IPS officer and his son were also honoured.

Mr Virk thanked the people and said he did not do any favour to people but performed his duty. Mr Virk also complimented the South African police for cooperation Mr Virk said those arrested by African Police, will be brought to India for trial.

Mr Virk was presented with an abhnandan patra, a shawl, a silver replica of Goddess Durga and replica of chariot carrying lord Krishna and Arjun in Mahabharat war. Besides Mr Virk, Mr Badri Parshad and Virender Yadav both DSPs, Mr Krishan Lal Inspector and SHO, city, Jagdish Chand Inspector, Romesh Chand S.I. CIA, Sham Sunder Sharma, reader to S.P., Anand Parkash and Prem Singh both ASIs, Mr Roshan Lal, PRO S.P. office, Head 
constables Jitender Kumar, Bhiya Ram, Romesh Chand, Mohinder Singh, Baljit Singh, Satya Van, Suresh Pal, Satbir Singh, Sham Singh, Raj Kumar and Balwan Singh, Ganga Saroop, Anoop Singh, Sat Pal Signh, 
Gurcharan Singh and Rakesh Kumar and Jai Karam and Surinder Singh, all constables. All EHCs, Jagir Singh, Baljeet Singh, Narinder Pal, Pawan Kumar.

Sonepat, February 11
The police arrested Sangeeta, for giving “supari” of Rs 2 lakh for killing her brother Puneet, on Saturday. She was produced in a court and remanded in judicial custody for 14 days.

According to the police, during interrogation, Sangeeta confessed her conduct was not liked by her brother who even was not willing to share parental property after the death of their father and mother.

She also confessed she had given the “supari” a few months back, but Sri Bhagwan and others who reportedly had taken the contract, were arrested by the police before they could commit the crime.

ASI Baljit Singh, who arrested Sangeeta after information about her arrival in the town, said she was serving in the Health Department and was posted at Civil Hospital Gurgaon.

After receiving threat to his life, Sector-15 resident Puneet complained to the police which arrested Pappu, Manoj and Kanwar pal alias Billu on February 3. Their interrogation revealed that Sangeeta had given a “supari” of Rs 2 lakh to Sri Bhagwan to eliminate Puneet.

The main accused Sri Bhagwan was also arrested by the police on Friday and was remanded in two-day police custody by the court on Saturday.

Rewari, February 11
The police has arrested young man Sudhir Kumar Yadav, of Dahina village, 24 km from here for indulging in obscene utterances in the premises of Shri Krishan Government College, Kanwali, 30 km from here, on Friday.

Principal Mr M.S. Yadav wanted him to leave the college premises, the youth, who apparently was under the influence of liquor, resorted to bullying tactics.

Earlier on a complaint with the police by the college principal, the Khol police registered a case of obscenity and criminal intimidation under Sections 294, 506 of the IPC against accused Sudhir Yadav. — OC

Fatehabad, February 11
The District Consumer Forum on Friday directed a local tractor dealer to pay Rs 50,000 as compensation to a farmer for supplying him an old tractor and also overcharging him.

The farmer,Ved Pal, a resident of Chanot, had purchased a Swaraj tractor from a local dealer, Balaji Enterprises, on November 11, 2005.

The dealer charged Rs 3.4 lakh from the farmer and said he would give the bill after getting the registration done.

The dealer later issued a bill for Rs 3.10 lakh to the farmer.

Later, the farmer discovered that he had been supplied a 2001 model tractor in place of a 2005 model.

The farmer filed a complaint with the District Consumer Forum through his counsel, Mr Rajesh Gandhi.

The forum, in its decision , asked the dealer to pay a compensation of Rs 50,000 to the farmer.

Chandigarh, February 11
Widespread rains have brought cheers to the Haryana Power Utilities and the Agriculture Department.

The sudden rise in temperature in January and absence of winter rains had caused jitters in the Agriculture Department and the power utilities.

The Agriculture Department had drawn up ambitious plans this year to overtake Punjab in the per hectare yield of wheat.But the sudden rise in the temperature last month had threatened to lower the wheat yield.

Experts say high temperature in February and March results in early maturity of wheat crop, adversely affecting the yield.

The power utilities were also under pressure to supply adequate power supply to the agriculture sector for irrigating the standing crops.

The Haryana power utilities had to impose severe power cuts on the domestic and industrial sectors to make adequate power available to the agriculture sector.

Before the rains, the demand for power in the state exceeded 600 lakh units per day. After yesteday's rains, the demand has fallen to about 540 lakh units in a day.

The utilities have announced the withdrawal of power cuts with immediate effect.

Chandigarh, February 11
Establishing a special agency to serve summons and deleting Section 313 of the CrPC were some of the suggestions which emerged at a workshop organised by the Haryana State Legal Services Authority on speedy disposal of criminal cases here on February 9.

A number of judicial officers said though summonses were issued several months before the next date of hearing, attempts to serve them on the witnesses were made only a few days before the hearing date and only one attempt was made.

Even if a single formal witness did not turn up, the entire trial was delayed and therefore, a special summons serving agency should be set up.

They also felt that the service of summonses in cases triable by magistrates should be improved.

Certain district and sessions judges said the statement of an accused under Section 313 of the CrPC, which was intended to bring evidence with the prosecution to the knowledge of the accused, was of no practical use and, therefore, should be dispensed with.

A proclaimed offender should be tried separately.

Mr B.M. Bedi was of the view that in cases involving more than one accused, the courts should be permitted to record a joint statement of all the accused under Section 313 of the CrPC.

Mr Hari Paran Singh felt that no witness should go unexamined.

If a judge was on leave, the evidence of a witness summoned for that day should be recorded by some other judge.

Many judicial officers were of the view that there was an inordinate delay in receiving reports from the Forensic Science Laboratory and chemical examiner, which delayed the disposal of criminal cases.

Ambala, February 11
Thieves struck at a jewellery shop located in Ambala Sadar late last night and stole jewellery worth several lakhs. The theft came to light this morning.

Gold and silver jewellery worth several lakhs were stolen from the Hari Nath Satish Kumar jewellery shop located in Palledar Mohalla, here. The theft was noticed at about 6.30 am when the lock of the shutter was found broken.

The owner of the shop told the police that an almirah in the shop had been broken open and gold and silver jewellery worth lakhs had been stolen.